Cement clinker cooler comprising roller-bearing supported vibrating grates



Aug. 3, 1965 KARL-HEINZ KAYATZ 3,197,887

CEMENT CLIN COOL COMPRISING ROLLER-BEARING IBRA'I ATES S QRTE ING GR Filed July 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2b 20 2b 2c FIG I INVENTOR.

g 3, 1955 KARL-HEINZ KAYATZ 3,197,887

CEMENT CLINKER COOLER COMPRISING ROLLER-BEARING SUPPORTED VIBRATING GRATES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 27. 1962 FIG. 3

FIG.

INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,197,887 CEMENT CLINKER COOLER COMPRISING ROLLER-BEARING SUPPORTED VIBRATENG GRATES Karl-Heinz Kayatz, Hamhurg-Nienstedten, Germany, assiguor to Fuller Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed :July '27, 1962,'Ser.-No. 212,982 2 Claims. (Cl. 34164) The present invention, relates to the support of movable members, and is concerned more particularly with the support or carriage of movable members such as grate assemblies.

Relatively large, heavy, reciprocating grate assemblies are frequently used in the cooling of cement clinkers, the heating of ores and for the heat treatment of other materials such as by incineration. In their present forms, these grate assemblies include an oscillating frame which is mounted on rolling wheels. Such wheels have been mounted either outside the gas or air chamber beneath the grate assembly or within the air chamber itself. Location within the gas chamber is preferred, since it simplifies the structure by eliminating such complications as gas seals along the axles. However, when mounted within the gas chamber, lubrication difiiculties are encountered and are sometimes complicated by high gas temperatures or by heat radiation from the grate assembly. Also, twisting or uneven loading stress, particularly when aggravated by heat conditions leading to thermal expansion, causes alignment problems which aggravate wear on the moving parts.

The present invention provides a self-aligning, open bearing which is insensitive to lubrication and which accommodates the extent of twisting, cocking or warpage which may be found in such assemblies.

In general, the preferred form of the present invention comprises a reciprocating grate assembly having a fixed frame and a movable frame with substantially spherical bearing members therebetween, the fixed frame and movable frame having grooved, generally parallel ball tracks individually engaging opposite sides of the spherical members. Preferably, at least one of the bearing tracks is mounted on a rounded support to provide for tilting thereof in a direction transverse to the direction of reciprocation of the movable frame.

A better understanding of the invention may be derived from the accompanying drawings and description in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a grate assembly installation represented schematically;

PEG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1 showing the details of the support assembly, and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines 4-4 of FIG. 3.

As shown in the drawings, and as embodied in a reciprocating grate cooler for cement clinker of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,846,778 to H. A. Markle, a preferred form of the invention comprises an oscillating or reciprocating movable frame 1 carrying alternate rows of grates 2a of a grate assembly -2 whose alternate fixed grates 2b are secured on the wall of a casing which includes a fixed support or fixed frame 3. The movable frame is reciprocated by a suitable drive arm 4.

The movable frame 1 carries a plurality of suitably spaced ball tracks 5 mounted thereon opposite a corresponding number of ball tracks 6 which are mounted on the support or fixed frame 3. The ball tracks 5 and 6 each have longitudinal grooves or rolling faces 7 and 8, respectively, which are substantially parallel to and face each other to receive and'engage a relatively large, sub- Patented Aug. 3, 1965 "ice stantially spherical member or ball 9. It is not necessary that either the rolling faces 7,8 or the ball 9 be machined to the tolerances expected to be required for bearings. The several rolling faces 7, 8 are to be arranged parallel to the direction of reciprocation of the movable frame 1.

Suitable means for securing the ball tracks 5, 6 totheir appropriate frame may be used. Simple bolting may be employed, such asthe bolts lliand 11 shown securing ball track 5 to movabe frame -1. However, one of the bearing plates most advantageouslyis to be mounted by means including an aligningsurface. As shown, a support member 12 comprising ,part of the fixed frame 3 carries a rounded surface for transverse alignmentin the form of a cylindrical rib or rod 13 arranged parallel with the rolling face 8 in the ball track 6. The ball .track 6 has a longitudinal, rounded recess 14 capable of receiving the upper rounded portion of the rod 13 in a loose-fit relationship. The recess 14 is of sufiicient lengthto provide enough clearance at the ends of the rod to permit rotation transversely without permitting substantial longitudinal movement. The weight'of the assembly maintains engagement of the rod 13 and recess 14. A stop member 15 is mounted on the fixed frame at the lower end of the sloping ball track 6 to limit the downward travel of the ball 9, if necessary.

Where desired, or where extreme compensating alignment is required, the upper ball track 5 also may be mounted by means of a transversely rotating joint similar to that shown for ball track 6.

The installation is provided with a material inlet 16 and a material discharge outlet 17 communicating with the region above grate assembly 2. Also, the gas or air inlet 18 communicates with the zone beneath the grate assembly 2 and a gas vent 19 communicates with the area above the grate assembly.

In operation, reciprocation of the drive arm 4 by any suitable means produces an oscillating or reciprocating motion of the movable frame 1 and the movable grates 2a secured thereto. A load of material is introduced through the inlet 16 and is advanced progressively along the grate assembly 2 by the reciprocating motion of the grates toward the discharge outlet 17. Gas or air is introduced through the gas inlet 18 to pass upwardly through the grate assembly, either through perforations in the grates or between the grates themselves, as the case may be. The gas or air above the grates is exhausted through the vent 19.

The weight of the material load imposed on the grate assembly 2 causes stresses therein, and reactions to the force applied through the drive arm 4. Additionally, in the case of cooling cement clinker, the high temperature material causes an increase in the temperature of the grate structure. thereby often causing some extent of twisting, cocking or war-page. It is immaterial whether this misalignment is temporary, as may be the result of initial, progressive heating starting at one end of the assembl or whether it is a permanent misalignment resulting from excesses or misoperation. The multi-axial alignment compensation at each of the spherical members or balls 9 will accommodate any reasonable misalignment short of jamming of the movable frame or its grates against the casing. With the transversely aligning bearing comprising rod 13 and recess 14, a considerable extent of lateral deviation or cocking of the movable frame 1 is accommodated.

Therefore, the present invention provides an open bearing for wide variations in alignment which does not require lubrication, or require bushings for relatively smalldiameter shafts, and which allows for shifting to accommodate uneven loading, uneven heating, and the consequences of excessive stress or heating.

Various changes may be made in the details of this invention as described without sacrificing the advantages thereof or departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cooler for hydraulic cement clinker comprising a casing having a material inlet and a' material discharge outlet, a grate assembly arranged to pass material from the material inlet toward the discharge outlet and having movable grates alternating with fixed grates, a fixedfra me, a movable frame in engagement with the movable grates, at least one bearing in supporting engagement betvtteen the fixed frame and the movable frame, the bearing comprising a lower track engaging the fixed frame andan upper track fixed to the movable frame, said tracks being parallel to each other and aligned parallel with the direc tion of motion of the movable'frame, said fixed frame carrying an elongated rod aligned with the direction of motion of the movable frame, a recess in the lower track for receiving a portion of the rod whereby the lower track may shift laterally about the axis of the rod in a direction transverse to the direction of motion of the movable frame, a spherical member positioned in rolling engagement between the first and second tracks, means for moving the movable frame to pass the material to be cooled toward the discharge outlet, means for passing a cooling gas through the grate assembly to cool the material passing thereon, and a vent for discharging the used cooling gas from the casing.

2. A cooler for hydraulic cement as set forth in claim 1 in which the tracks and the direction of motion of the movable. frame is inclined with respect to the horizontal, and including a stop member at the lower end of the tracks.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 694,958 3/02 Galshiot 34164 941,972 11/09 Bentley. 1,567,548 12/25 Stebbins 3086 X 1,807,110 5/31 Walter. 1,956,791 5/34 Clarke. 2,204,3 79 6/40 Overstrom. 2,657,789 11/53 Somogyi. 2,846,778 8/58 Markle 34-85 3,123,203 3/64 Baker.

NORMAN YUDKOFF, Primary Examiner. CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Examiner. 

1. A COOLER FOR HYDRAULIC CEMENT CLICKER COMPRISING A CASING HAVING A MATERIAL INLET AND A MATERIAL DISCHARGE OUTLET, A GRATE ASSEMBLY ARRANGED TO PASS MATERIAL FROM THE MATERIAL INLET TOWARD THE DISCHARGE OUTLET AND HAVING MOVABLE GRATES ALTERNATING WITH FIXED GRATES, A FIXED FRAME A MOVABLE FRAME IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MOVABLE GRATES, AT LEAST ONE BEARING IN SUPPORTING ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE FIXED FRAME AND THE MOVABLE FRAME, THE BEARING COMPRISING A LOWER TRACK ENGAGING THE FIXED FRAME AND AN UPPER TRACK FIXED TO THE MOVABLE FRAME, SAID TRACKS BEING PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER AND ALIGNED WITH THE DIRECTION OF MOTION OF THE MOVABLE FRAME, SAID FIXED FRAME CARRYING AN ELONGATED ROD ALIGNED WITH THE DIRECTION OF MOTION OF THE MOVABLE FRAME, A RECESS IN THE LOWER TRACK FOR RECEIVING A PORTION OF THE ROD WHEREBY THE LOWER TRACK MAY BE SHIFT LATERALLY ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE ROD IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO THE DIRECTION OF THE MOTION OF THE MOVABLE FRAME, A SPHERICAL MEMBER POSITIONED IN ROLLING ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND TRACKS, MEANS FOR MOVING THE MOVABLE FRAME TO PASS THE MATERIAL TO BE COOLED TOWARD THE DISCHARGE OUTLET, MEANS FOR PASSING A COOLING GAS THROUGH THE GRATE ASSEMBLY TO COOL THE MATERIAL PASSING THEREON, AND A VENT FOR DISCHARGING THE USED COOLING GAS FROM THE CASING. 